Broughton village says it has ‘no confidence’ in Preston City Council planners

The action taken by the parish council has come after the planning department recommended a build for 111 homes split between Broughton and Whittingham which was then granted permission.

This was despite Broughton objecting to the plans, having just rubber stamped a Neighbourhood Development Plan which, in theory, should allow the parish council to have more say over the housing coming to the area.

It also means the village only has to prove a three year housing supply, rather than a five year supply as is the case with Preston.

In declaring ‘no confidence’ in the planning department at PCC the motion from Broughton-in-Amounderness Parish Council stated: “The Parish Council has no confidence in the planning officers of PCC to undertake their statutory duties and as a result the planning sub-committee of PCC cannot make effective judgments based on advice from those officers.”

The motion was sent to the acting chief executive of PCC, Adrian Philips. Broughton PC has now also written to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government James Brokenshire MP and Ben Wallace MP.

Chris Hayward, director of development at PCC said: “Where a neighbourhood plan is in place and the council has a three year supply of housing land, the Government’s National Planning Policy Framework does not preclude all development contrary to policy.

“That would be in complete conflict with the Government’s aspirations to boost significantly the supply of housing across the country.

“The Government’s National Planning Policy Framework requires a planning balance to be made which weighs the adverse impacts against the benefits of all development.”

For a full statement by Broughton Parish Council click here and for Preston City Council’s full reply click here.